Flores feels he is only just getting started at Cobblers

Whilst he’s yet to find top gear, Jordan Flores did provide us with a brief flash of his quality during Saturday’s goalless draw at Crawley Town.

The midfielder was starting his second game in the space of four days following a week out with Achilles tendinitis.

It is a problem he continues to manage but after playing an hour or so against AFC Wimbledon last Tuesday, Flores got through the full 90 at Crawley on Saturday.

The 25-year-old, now a permanent Cobblers player after initially joining on loan, had a relatively quiet game, but he was responsible for creating perhaps the best chance of the afternoon.

Receiving the ball under pressure near the halfway line, Flores spun his man, drove forward and threaded a perfect through pass to Kion Etete, who was denied by the impressive Glenn Morris.

If he can reproduce that type of quality on a more consistent basis, it will be one way to solve Cobblers’ ongoing creative problems.

“I didn’t think I was at my best to be honest,” admitted Flores. “But I do feel I’m getting sharper.

“Playing on Saturday and Tuesday helps because the games come thick and fast and that will only be a good thing for me.

“I’ll see how things go this week and hopefully I can start getting into that rhythm of playing regularly.

“The Achilles has improved a lot and I think it was one of those things that was building up over time and the hard pitches in pre-season didn’t help at all.

“But I had a week out and I’m doing a lot of strength work at the moment and it’s getting better day by day.”

A point on the road is never a disaster but, for many, Saturday’s stalemate was seen as two points dropped.

Crawley had conceded six the week before and bar a frantic first-half spell when they created three chances in as many minutes, they struggled to really trouble Liam Roberts in the away goal.

Town then dominated the second-half but Morris was not to be beaten, twice denying Etete and also saving smartly from Mitch Pinnock’s late daisy-cutter.

“I do feel it’s a couple of points dropped because we did have the chances to win it,” Flores added.

“We didn’t play as well as we would have liked but it’s a positive sign that we know we can be better and yet we still got a point and a clean sheet out of the game.”

Town’s blank in Sussex meant the wait for a first goal from open play in the league continues into this weekend’s visit of Scunthorpe United.

But, promisingly, they did at least create more chances, so much so that the opposition goalkeeper was arguably man of the match.

“It would be more worrying if the strikers weren’t getting in those positions,” said Flores.

“But we are creating chances so it’s only a matter of time before we start putting it in the net.

“The way we play, we want to get on the ball a lot more than we are at the moment because when we do, we create opportunities and their goalkeeper has had to make a couple of good saves.

“It’s the same for us midfielders. We need to start getting a few shots off but I think it’ll come very soon.”

Flores has a knack for scoring spectacular goals but it’s fair to say he’s yet to find his range with the Cobblers.

He added: “I had a couple of shots at Crawley that were absolutely woeful!

“I’ll get back on the training pitch and start practising those and hopefully they will start going on target and going into the net.”

Saturday’s draw was overshadowed by a serious injury suffered by Town skipper Joseph Mills, who followed Shaun McWilliams and Harry Smith in being stretchered from the pitch during an away game at Crawley.

Flores added: “I think, as professionals, you do have to put it to the back of your mind during the game and get on with your job.

“But obviously now the game is over we will all get round him and we wish him all the best and hopefully it’s not too serious.”